1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a configuration for a transport node of a telecommunication system, and more particularly, to a transparent multiplexer for telecommunication systems.
2. Background Art
Telecommunications network providers are feeling the pressure of modern technologies as users demand ever more capacity. That factor, along with the reality of fiber congestion in the network, is causing service providers to search for a solution that will increase capacity without forcing them to deploy additional fibers. At the moment, two practical solutions exist: using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to combine multiple wavelengths on one set of fibers, or using a higher bit rate, time division multiplexing (TDM) systems.
Both solutions are viable, but each has disadvantages for certain applications. Linear systems have a different solution than rings, short spans have a different solution than long spans in each type of network, and even rings will have different solutions from one another, depending on the number of the nodes and the span lengths between the nodes.
In practice, there are many benefits to large bandwidths on a single SONET network element, especially in ring topologies. Network management can be simplified by reducing the number of network elements (NE). This also reduces the amount of equipment in the network, which means fewer trips to a location for equipment repairs and replacement.
For an existing linear system that is experiencing fiber exhaust on a given span, the traditional solution is to replace the relevant terminals to obtain a higher line rate system. However, for a ring configuration, the line rate of the entire ring must be upgraded even if only one span is short of fiber. It is thus easy to understand why some network providers are asking for other options.